Table 4 Results of a confirmatory factor analysis of the EBQ-18 (n = 442) standardised regression weights & communality

 I’m not able to control my urges to eat

 Once I start eating I can’t stop

 I have no willpower in relation to food

 I can’t control my eating because I am weak

 If I don’t control myself I would never stop eating

 There is nothing I can do to stop eating

 Eating means I don’t have to think about negative things

 Eating helps to control my emotions

 Eating keeps my feelings at a tolerable level

 Eating helps me to cope with negative thoughts

 Eating helps me cope with negative feelings

 Eating is my best way of coping with unwanted feelings

 Bingeing is something that I can have for myself

 I deserve to have a pleasure like binge eating

 It’s okay to have the nice experience of binge eating

 Bingeing allows me to have something nice for myself

 It won’t make a difference if I eat more

 I like to binge